Our Favorite Fast Food Soup Will Be Your Ultimate Comfort This Fall

Soup tends to be an afterthought in the fast food world. Against hefty burgers, crispy fries, and sauce-drenched, deep-fried chicken, it never seems to stand a chance, and so to the sideline it goes. Oftentimes, that also means missing out on how fast food soup can still be marvelous in its own way. It can be just as delicious as something you cook up at home, steaming hot and imbued with the most decadent warmth. As Tasting Table has learned from taste-testing a great variety for our ranking of fast food soups, if there's any soup that lives up to that expectation, it's Potbelly's chicken pot pie soup.

Undoubtedly, this is no ordinary, traditional soup. Indeed, it's a spin on the medieval English dish chicken pot pie, inheriting all the classic comfort and flavor extraordinaire this dish typically offers. In its revamped soup form, the filling turns into a half-gravy, half-stock base — a perfect creamy in-between of thick and thin. It's just enough to melt all those garlicky, peppery aromas onto the taste buds without crossing the threshold into heaviness. Swimming in it are vegetables, legumes, and slow-roasted chicken cubes, all starchy, soft, and flavor-soaked after simmering in the rich broth. The puff pastry crust doesn't go anywhere either, but rather becomes crumbly, buttery chunks scattered over top — a spectacular finish that seals its top spot.

On its own, the chicken pot pie soup can pass for a light meal. Just pair it with a small side of your choosing, whether that's potato chips or oyster crackers. At home, try pairing it with croutons, potato wedges, fluffy baked biscuits, or other popular dipping foods. Keeping things light, fresh, and balanced, there's always a salad to try. Potbelly's salads all feature chicken as the main protein with versatile veggies, so no matter what you choose, it always works with the chicken-based soup. As a matter of fact, you can get them in a combo, with half a bowl of salad accompanying the soup.

Another soup pairing option the fast food chain offers is with a skinny sandwich (one-third less the usual amount of ingredients). Soups and sandwiches have long been such a match made in heaven, and common varieties like chicken salad, grilled chicken, and chicken club rarely disappoint. Turkey sandwiches such as avo turkey and wreck are also phenomenal, should you want something with a more potent savoriness. On the salty side, where cold meats meld into the soup's savory tone, an Italian sandwich, featuring the cuisine's favorites like salami, pepperoni, and mortadella, is a perfect pick. And then we have cheesiness, a chock full of which can be found in a veggie melt, with tangy, stringy pulls that shine even brighter alongside the creamy soup.